Thanks for dropping by to read our opinions. When we say 'we', we mean Sharon & Andy. We have been...
Thanks for dropping by to read our opinions. When we say 'we', we mean Sharon & Andy. We have been members of Dooyoo for some considerable months in our own right, but decided to join forces and write together for Ciao. Thanks for all the kind comme...
Member since:19.03.2001
Reviews:14
Members who trust:18
Although the initial hysteria has died down, Pokemon is still here! If you aren't already aware; Its Japanese; it stands for 'Pocket Monsters' and its actually been around for about 7 years. This opinion gives you a detailed background in Pokemon, a brief description of the game and the problems/advantages of collecting the Pokemon cards. Even if you hate the concept of Pokemon it maybe worth reading!
The object of the Pokemon game is to compete or fight against your opponent using your pocket monsters against theirs. The winner is obviously the Pokemon champion. Each pocket monster or Pokemon has special skills eg. Pikachu has a lightening bolt of a strength of 40 Hit Points against its opposing Pokemon. Each Pokemon are split into different categories - fire, earth, lightening, water, psychic etc. Some are better than others and some evolve from one type of creature into another more powerful creature. An example is Charmander which envolves into Charmeleon who envolves into the mighty Charizard!
The game has different themes - water, fire, fighting etc. One person can play with one theme and the other plays with another eg. fire vs water. The game can be very addictive, fun to play and educationally very good, if played right! Each person has an active Pokemon and a number of reserved Pokemon. Each person takes it in turns to train their Pokemon and attach energy cards, making them more powerful and have a greater chance of knocking out their opponents Pokemon. After knocking out your opponents Pokemon you can claim a prize. Once all the prizes have been won then that person is the Pokemon master or champion.
The game has a good mixture of strategy similar to that of warhammer, chess and a good old fashioned card game. It is fun for all ages from 7 upwards. The starter pack costs around £7 and is the preferred set to learn to play the game, which can easily be learnt within a few days. The game will keep both the children and adults hooked for a few weeks/months - or throughout a holiday!
You can add further specialist Pokemon/Trainer/Energy cards by buying further 'booster' packs at around £2.50 each. Each booster pack has 11 cards in total of which one card is rare Pokemon card, a certain number of uncommon cards and the rest common cards. It is a lottery on what cards you get. If you get doubles you can swap or trade them with your friends - usually not at schools! They are hated by most teachers! The best card is Charizard because it is the most powerful and has a greater resistance of getting knocked out. It's very hard to find and it will set you back around £10-£20 for that single card, which is why there is a lot of controversy about Pokemon. As well as the value of the cards and unfair trades taking place, younger children have been exploited by the older kids.
There are a total of over 151 Pokemon across 4 series - Basic, Jungle, Fossil & Team Rocket(Dark Pokemon). Each series comes with a number of trainer cards which can boost energy, increase your Pokemon's energy, decrease its number of hit points etc or decrease your opponents Pokemon hit points. We are many series behind Japan and a few behind America.
At the moment, due to the initial hysteria dying down, the card decks are being sold in shops for half price or under, so if you've always fancied having a go, or have missing cards to collect, now is the time to buy.
In summary, the games great - very addictive, educational and very collectable! Our kids aged 9 and 11 still love to play it although sometimes need a little adult support. Even us adults have been known to have grudge matches! Not one mention of the yellow rodent Pikachu! It has its critics, but if they just played the game they might change their opinions. Yes, Pokemon isn't cheap if you want to catch'um all but it is an enjoyable game and is something good for children to collect, if controlled properly.
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Great op full of imfo that us mothers don't ask our kids about because we don't want to look stupid,now i can shock my son with my knowledge.thanx
niclemamy 02.04.2001 00:46
Excellent op..personally i can't stand anything to do with pokemon but thats beside the point...well done,:)nicola
fluffy-bubblegum 01.04.2001 23:57
Thanks Imogen. I'm glad you understand the rules now. I'm sure that if more people looked past the hype and got to the actual game play, they'd find it's actually pretty good.
Advantages: Gameplay galore and a lot of fun to be had, a good hobby. Disadvantages: Kids know more about Pokemon than they do about geography, now, a bad thing indeed.
MikeScoates 11.09.2000 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Pokemon
Advantages: Highly customisable, promotes social interaction,, popular (for the moment) with the children Disadvantages: Prices in the West are ridiculous. Some cards no longer available. Odds of getting premium cards too high.
GoldOpinion 12.09.2000 ·
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Review of Pokemon
Advantages: Gameplay galore and a lot of fun to be had, a good hobby. Disadvantages: Kids know more about Pokemon than they do about geography, now, a bad thing indeed.
MikeScoates 11.09.2000 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Pokemon
Apr 1st, 2001
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